“No Corporate Money” Campaign

California has a unique chance to shift the balance of power in our state. The 1% and their corporations now control our budgets and economy, schools and education, police and justice, and so much more, because they control the people who get elected into our government. This can change, and California can inspire the rest of the country. We have some good examples to inspire us.

Dramatic change has occurred in places as far away as South America and as close as Richmond, a city in the S.F. Bay Area. People combined strong social movements with strong electoral movements. When people in South America – especially the young and impoverished – began taking to the streets and voting in much greater numbers than ever before, the 1% lost big. The disparity of wealth began to decrease, and education, healthcare, and people’s participation in their governments began to improve.

Closer to home, Richmond now has a mayor and city council members who stand with the 99%. Community activists ten years ago were tired of running into a brick wall at city hall, and organized to combine activism with elections (see RichmondProgressiveAlliance.net). Greens, Democrats, and others ran for office, all agreeing to take no corporate money, and they began to win. Chevron, the largest corporation in California, put a million dollars into three races in 2010, and lost, lost, and lost. The “no corporate money” candidates won.

In California the rules of the game for state elections have now changed, seemingly for the worse, but inadvertently the new rules provide an opening for a backfire on the 1%.

In the “Top Two” primary system we now use for state offices, any voter can vote for any candidate regardless of political party. Only the top two candidates appear on the November ballot, even if they are from the same party. Historically, this system favored incumbents and highly funded candidates, and that’s exactly what happened in the first Top Two Primary in California in June 2012. But Top Two can backfire on the 1% when we create a critical mass of people who declare their intention to vote for candidates who take no corporate money.

You can help grow this movement. Join the No Corporate Money Campaign.

About Laura Wells: SolutionsI ran for Controller in California in 2014 on a State Bank and Tax The Rich platform. I am part of the “No Corporate Money” Campaign, in which candidates pledge to take no corporate money and voters declare our intention to vote for no-corporate-money candidates. As a Green Party candidate for Governor of California in 2010, I was arrested outside a gubernatorial debate for “trespassing at a private party.” But we won't stop, and so let's create a "public party" where we debate solutions to California's finances, like implementing a State Bank and taxing the rich -- to reduce the disparity and open up opportunities. Twitter: @LauraWellsCA

A great place to find like-minded activists is the California Clean Money Campaign yesfairelections.org , which is working on legislation in the CA Senate (SB 52) that would require the funders of campaign advertising to identify themselves clearly on the ads.

This is the third try for this legislation, which is supported by 84% of Democrats and 78% of Republicans, and it’s likely to succeed despite opposition from the Republican Caucus because Democrats have substantial majorities in both Assembly and Senate.

Victory is a great starting point, and Clean Money is a great issue for meeting activists who are disenchanted with the mainstream parties but who have not yet recognized alternatives and never heard of State Banks.

Yes! It’s wonderful to see people gathering strength to change the laws, starting with at least disclosing where the money is coming from. The No Corporate Money campaign works alongside organizations like Clean Money, Move To Amend, Public Citizen, Common Cause, and many others. We use the POWER WE ALREADY HAVE to elect no-corporate-money candidates, who will be free to present facts supporting proposed changes, carry the legislation, and push for passage unencumbered by pressure to please corporate sponsors and lobbyists. No-corporate-money elected officials won’t have to toe the line of the big (Titanic) political parties that are so heavily influenced by corporate money and power. Thanks for your comment and information!